The director of the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI), Héctor Castro, stressed this Saturday that it is essential to continue vaccination against COVID-19 given the increase in cases recorded in recent weeks. He emphasized that the first and second doses are not enough to have immunity against the virus.
“The complete vaccination must necessarily incorporate boosters, and boosters are the third and fourth dose. Many people have two doses and consider them sufficient, but they were vaccinated in July or August 2021 and have not been vaccinated since,” the director said in an interview with Telefuturo.
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He argued that the omicron variant entered the country a year ago and has the versatility to evade the immune system, so booster doses are needed to avoid severe cases of the disease, which can lead to hospitalizations and even death of patients.
Castro indicated that an annual vaccination is being worked on for 2023 and it would be with a bivariate composition, the native variant, which is that of Wuhan and the omicron. These new biologics will arrive in Paraguay during the first or second week of January and vaccinations will begin.
“The updated composition of our country will be in the first or second week of January, so that everyone can complete their reinforcements. Full scheme of 18 years and older, especially those with underlying diseases or people over 50 or health workers, must have four doses in this 2023, ”she added.
The director of the PAI indicated that 60% of the deceased have no vaccine, 35% a single dose and 5% two or more doses, but that these are deaths that could be avoided if people completed the vaccination schedule with the four doses and from 2023 it will be an annual vaccination.
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